tell them we sold out
by thedeadsea
Summary: When Betty Cooper is thrust into the world of illicit, underground fighting, grand illusions become her new normal. But what if the biggest illusion is the one she's still running from, even after all these years? Jughead.
1. Prologue

Author's Note: Newly obsessed with Riverdale and Bughead.

I took a small amount of inspiration from the book "Beautiful Disaster" by Jamie Mcguire, but the story will go in a COMPLETELY different direction. The only real similar plot device are the illicit underground fights. That's where the similarities stop.

Disclaimer: Don't own.

 _Prologue_

Betty Cooper did not take risks.

She was safe and stable, warm hugs and smiles, cookies and hot chocolate and long nights spent curled up in bed.

Betty Cooper did not belong in dimly lit, sweaty basements, surrounded by screaming strangers and brawling boys, circling each other like birds of prey. Anyone who looked at her would know just how out of place she was in this environment, with her soft, pink sweaters and curled ponytail.

The woman next to her blended in much more seamlessly. With her dark hair and darker jacket, her calm demeanor was the only thing out of place. But her eyes hadn't strayed anywhere from the center of the makeshift ring since they had arrived, and occasionally her calm façade would crack with a flinch or a gasp.

This gave Betty the opportunity to glance around, taking in her surroundings. But that was the thing – all she did was look. No furtive glances, no panicked grimaces. She just stared, as if observing from a great distance.

Detached. Bored.

She may not have belonged, but the blonde had carved out a space for herself in the damp, humid room.

And those who let their eyes linger on Betty Cooper for too long would see something beyond the ponytail and sweaters – they would see the flush of her cheeks, the sharp curve of her neck as she strained for a better view. They would see the tension in her shoulders relax and melt away the longer she observed, dripping from her body like the blood of the fighters before her.

And if they looked long enough, they might see the glint in her eye that indicated this was not the first time she'd had blood on the soles of her shoes.

At least, that was what Jughead Jones saw that night


	2. Chapter I

_Chapter I_

Here's the thing – when it came to underground fighting rings worth thousands of dollars in bets and wagers, Betty Coopers knowledge went about as far as the information provided in Fight Club.

And here's the other thing – Betty may have insinuated to her editor that she could write a front page story on the topic, 1800 words with hard-hitting facts and information, due Monday.

"Betty, why on _earth_ would you agree to write this story? It's social suicide. Literal, figurative, and metaphorical."

The condemnation came from her roommate and best friend, Veronica Lodge. Not for the first time, she fixed the blonde with a piercing glare, crossing her legs and folding her perfectly manicured hands over her keyboard. The dark-haired girl shook her head, looking back down at her screen and continuing to scroll until she heard a sigh. She glanced up from her laptop, to where Betty Cooper was currently lying in hopelessness for the fourth hour in a row.

"Figurative and metaphorical are essentially the same in this case. Using both is redundant," came a detached reply.

Veronica quirked an eyebrow, thankful she finally drew more than three words from the despondent sophomore journalism major.

"Regardless," she said, tapping at her laptop, eyes glued to the screen, "you know how difficult it is to get invited to these events. You _know_ they're kept secret for a reason. If the boys were discovered, they'd be kicked out of Riverdale faster than you could say, 'but my daddy built the library.' It's just not worth the risk, B. For you or for them."

Betty shot up like a cork, her bright eyes fixed on her best friend.

"Are you saying," the blonde said slowly, locking eyes with a startled Veronica, "that the boys who participate in this… this barbaric _,_ caveman style club _aren't_ doing it out of financial need? They do it for fun?"

"I'm not saying anything," Veronica said calmly. "In fact, I'm saying that even _that much_ information is closely guarded and impossible to obtain. You're fighting a losing battle here."

Betty deflated, scrubbing her eyes with her palms and pulling her fingers through her hair. She had to have been crazy to accept this assignment in the first place.

But she needed to prove herself at the Blue and Gold – even after being there for a full year, she was still considered too green to be put on anything front page worthy. It was really only through dumb luck that she had overheard her editor speaking to another reporter about the alleged fight happening tonight.

Betty knew it was a mistake from the beginning. These organized, underground fights were a well-guarded, but widely known feature of Riverdale College. She had been generally dismissive, assuming that the fights drew a small crowd and enough monetary reward to cover a textbook or two for the winner.

It was only after she accepted the piece and informed Veronica of her good fortune when she got the full story.

"Betty…" Veronica sighed, snapping the blonde out of her reverie. She softly closed her laptop, leaning forward to her friend and reaching out to grasp her hand. "I'm sorry. I know you thought I would be able to get you in. But sometimes I don't even know where the fights are held. Archie doesn't always want me there. And it's just not a good idea to do a story on this right now. Please B… just don't."

This was the cherry on top of the proverbial cake that was this piece – Veronica's on-again, off-again boyfriend, Archie Andrews was one of the select few fighters. Betty had thought that this closely guarded secret would give her easy access, but it was proving to be more of a hindrance than a blessing.

"If you're really telling me," Betty started slowly, locking eyes with her best friend since childhood, "that someone might suffer because of my story, then of course I won't write it."

Veronica had barely exhaled a sigh of relief before Betty continued. "But I don't think that's the case, V. Of _course_ I would redact the names and identities of the fighters. This is about the student bodies right to know what's happening right under their noses. I would _never_ put Archie, or anyone, in harms way."

"But you don't _get it,_ B!" Veronica exclaimed, throwing up her hands and rising from her seat. "It's not just about anyone being hurt or exposed. It's about something much bigger than that."

Veronica stopped the pacing she had begun, and turned to look at a baffled Betty.

"What could be worse than exposure?" Betty asked in confusion.

Veronica sighed. "I didn't really get it before I went either. I think…" she continued slowly, biting her thumbnail, "I think you just need to see it." Her eyes snapped up to lock with Betty's, serious and dark all of a sudden.

"Betty. If I bring you tonight… If I show you everything… yes, everything," she reiterated at Betty's gasp, "can you promise to push the story back? Or even cancel it, once you see all that happens?"

Betty bit her lip, considering her best friend. She had rarely ever seen the dark haired girl so serious.

"Okay…" Betty said slowly, "I can probably push the story a week. But I don't know if I can promise to cancel it, V."

"Trust me," Veronica said with a grim smile, "you won't want to write about what you see tonight."

* * *

Betty wore her hair down, assuming that it would be dark and chilly in the basement where the fight was set to take place. She had thought that her hair would keep her neck warm.

But stepping down the last step of the off campus house, she knew this was an unnecessary precaution.

There were bodies everywhere – by the walls, on the risers built like a stage near the back offices, even on the stairwell she had just climbed down. The blonde immediately pulled her hair back into a makeshift ponytail, taking in the dimly lit faces of everyone she could see.

She recognized a few students she shared classes with, even her Accounting partner from freshman year was giggling over a red solo cup. But there seemed to be older, more serious men in the crowd as well, some well dressed and others in leather jackets. All had the air of anxiousness surrounding them, as if betting on this fight would make or break their finances for the week.

Betty glanced around for Veronica, realizing she had lost her friend in the crowd. It didn't take long to find her waving to Betty from the wall closest to the large, chalk circle drawn on the linoleum.

"Betty," Veronica, said, pulling her the last few feet, "You remember Kevin, right? He's a political science major with me."

Kevin was dark haired and handsome, but the shrewd, up-and-down look he threw Betty before smiling and shaking her hand was enough to let her know that Veronica was not just protecting Archie.

"Of course, how are you?" Betty replied sweetly, smiling her pageant girl smile and drawing closer to the group. "Midterms were hell this year, I don't know how we got through them."

Kevin stared at her for a moment, quickly relaxing and breaking into a smile. "I know," he responded, glancing at Veronica, "I thought Fallon was going to kill us with that 15 page case study. Like hello! Not every political science major wants to go to law school!"

Betty and Veronica laughed, the tension easing. They lapsed in to causal conversation about classes and clubs before Betty felt it was safe to circle back around to the matter at hand.

"So Kevin," Betty smiled, ignoring Veronica's immediate hand on her wrist, "what is your role in… all of this?" She waved her hand around, indicating the ever-filling basement and din of excited voices.

Kevin's smile faltered, but didn't disappear. A good sign. "Oh, a little of this, a little of that. Mostly I go wherever Jughead needs me."

"Jughead? I've never heard –"

"Yes, well," Veronica interrupted, "Kevin is like me. Army wives together."

Kevin rolled his eyes, exasperatedly explaining to a confused Betty, "My boyfriend Joaquin fights occasionally. Not tonight, and not nearly as mush as Archie. But sometimes."

Betty nodded, sensing she was overstepping her boundaries. Veronica's grip was like a steel trap around her wrist, keeping her in place. As if she'd want to go anywhere, Betty thought, glancing around the room.

She noticed a dark haired, beanie-wearing figure slouched on the risers opposite her, across the circle. The boy seemed to be paying very little attention to the people milling around him, standing stock-still and staring at his watch.

As Betty watched, the creases in his forehead smoothed and he glanced up. Immediately, she felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her.

His eyes were a deep, dark blue. He had an air of seriousness surrounding him that no one else in the room had managed to achieve – even the suit wearing men had some anxiousness about them. But this boy… he seemed to be all business.

But just as quickly as he had disjointed her senses, he was gone. His eyes were sweeping over the crowd and his hands were reaching for a previously unseen bullhorn at his feet, just as Kevin was saying. "…taking so long? Usually Jughead starts promptly at 11."

"Welcome to the Riverdale Rages," the dark-haired boy's bored, amplified voice stated. He seemed to be avoiding looking in Betty's direction. "As always, there are only two rules – Don't disrupt the fighters, and place your bets before the fights begin."

Jughead paused; masterfully creating suspense, as every eye in the room was on him. Betty got the feeling that he had done this many times before.

"Now, for our fighters." The crowd cheered and jeered, breaking into a previously unreached level of sound. "From Riverdale College, at 165 pounds, we have Archie Andrews!"

From the door to his left, a shirtless, muscular redhead appeared. Betty had met him on many occasions, even joked and smiled with him. But now, his jaw was tense as he stiffly walked to the center of the circle, waiting for Jughead to announce his opponent.

"And from Midvale University at 180 pounds, we have Thomas Baker!"

From the door to his right, a cocky, muscular jock appeared. He waved to his admirers, the crowd roaring their approval. He sauntered to the middle of the ring, locking eyes with Archie and begrudgingly shaking his hand.

Betty hated him already.

"Bets?" She turned to Veronica, "So anyone can bet on the fights?"

"Yeah," Veronica said, her eyes locked on Archie, seemingly forgetting about Betty and her impending story. "Jughead places bookies around the area. They'll give you odds, and they keep 5%. But it's generally profitable for everyone."

"Everyone except the loser," Kevin interjected. "But at least they're always welcome back."

Jughead's whistle broke through the tense muttering. Both boys immediately started circling the perimeter of the circle, Betty just inches away, tucked behind Veronica.

"Oh!" The crowd gasped in unison as Thomas lunged, landing a sharp blow to Archie's shoulder. He grit his teeth, but stayed standing.

"So," Betty turned to Kevin, who seemed coolly detached from the fight, "can anyone sign up?"

"Oh, no," Kevin responded, wincing as Archie placed a sickening punch to his opponents cheek. "Jughead has to scout _everyone._ It's something he's very strict about. You know," in response to Betty's questioning look, "too make sure no one's crazy… or completely unqualified. Despite what it may seem, no one wants to seriously injure."

Suddenly, Thomas Baker was spread on his back at Betty's feet. She barely had time to step backwards before he leapt up, charging at Archie. Jughead watched with a detached, cool interest.

"Wow," Betty breathed, in awe. "So no safety regulations? No mouth-guards or helmets… or anything?"

"Are you kidding?" Kevin scoffed. "That would ruin _everything._ The whole point of this is the raw danger." Betty heard another sickening crunch, and looked up just in time to see Archie bent double, clutching his ribs.

"No time-outs either." Veronica added, her face pained.

Betty glanced at Jughead, who looked to any casual observer to be calmly watching the fight. But she could see the imperceptible tightening of his shoulders, the tension in his balled-up fists.

"I don't get how he does it," Kevin said, following Betty's line of sight. "I could never watch my best friend get the shit kicked out of him, and then make a profit on it."

Betty gaped. "Come on Kevin," Veronica scoffed. "You know the fighters get a cut. Archie wouldn't be here if he didn't want to be."

"Wait, Jughead and Archie are friends?" Betty asked, glancing back and forth between the ring and the risers. Archie had Thomas in a headlock. Jughead continued to observe.

"Since they were 7." Veronica replied, standing on her tiptoes to watch. "They started this together." She paused. "Well, sort of. They inherited it, I guess. Jughead used to fight too, but as far as I know, he's taken over the business side of things."

"It's just as well," Kevin interjected as Betty nodded, "They were losing business. No one would fight Jughead."

Betty was more confused than ever. This club seemed to extend way past the meters of what she expected, taking on a business-like aura. She could see why Veronica had been so keen to pull the plug on her story.

All of a sudden, the crowd erupted in cheers and groans. Betty looked down to see Thomas knocked out on the floor, Archie panting and sweaty above him. Jughead was off the risers in a flash, making his way over to his best friend.

"We have a winner!" Jughead yelled, raising Archie's exhausted arm. "Collect your winnings from the bookies. Next fight will be announced by the usual method. Now get out before the cops are called again."

It was a flurry of activity. People were pounding up the stairs, on the phone, running with wads of cash. Everywhere Betty looked seemed to be a flood of action.

All of a sudden, she was pushed toward the center of the circle. Nearly tripping, she grappled to gain purchase on the suddenly solid arm that appeared next to her. Steadying herself, she looked up to apologize.

"Are you okay?" someone asked. Betty felt as though her body were on fire. She was pushed up against the elusive Jughead, bodies pressing in on them from both sides.

Pausing for slightly to long to collect herself, Betty shook her head to clear the buzzing from her ears. "Um… I think I'm fine. Just lost my friends." Jughead raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing her. "Really, I'm fine," Betty repeated.

"You were with Veronica and Kevin, right?" He said after some hesitance, his eyes boring into hers.

Betty nodded, and Jughead pulled her gently by the wrist to the risers he had been standing on.

"She and Archie usually go to the office to collect after fights. I'll take you there." Jughead said gruffly, turning back to her. He nudged her up the stairs, following gracefully after.

Opening the door on the far left, the noise was muffled almost immediately. The office was mercifully well lit and empty. For the first time in what felt like hours, Betty's shoulders sagged and she took a deep breath. She heard a deep chuckle behind her.

"First time?"

"Is it that obvious?" Betty replied, turning around to face Jughead. He was even more handsome in the light. His features were striking, and he seemed to be more relaxed too.

"Not really, actually." Jughead had just fixed her with an inquisitive stare when the door burst open, and Veronica barreled in, followed closely by Kevin and Archie.

"Oh thank god!" she said, enveloping Betty in a hug. "I can't believe we lost you! I'm sorry, B. You were right there and then you weren't."

"It's okay," she said, extracting herself from Veronica's arms, and glancing at Jughead, who was now looking determinedly away from her. "Jughead found me."

"Great fight, Archie." Jughead said, just as Veronica opened her mouth to quiz Betty more. She couldn't help but be grateful. "According to my estimates, we stand to make twelve to fifteen."

Archie grimaced, holding an icepack to his shoulder. Veronica left Betty's side in an instant, squeezing Archie's free hand and letting Kevin fill her space next to Betty.

"Better be worth it, Jug. That guy was a hell of a fighter." Archie grimaced as Veronica gingerly pressed another ice pack to his forehead. "We have got to stop letting Midvale steroid jocks in."

As everyone in the room laughed, Betty turned to Kevin. "Twelve to fifteen what? Dollars? Is that all?"

Kevin laughed, and Jughead shot her a wry smile. "Try thousand."

"Fifteen thousand dollars?" Betty squeaked, feeling faint. That was almost half of her tuition. "For just one fight?"

"Easy for you to say," Archie grumbled, pulling a t-shirt on.

"Well, bookies get 5%, and then there's rent for this place. And we need to pay the winning fighter, so it's not quite as glamorous as it sounds." Jughead explained, not unkindly.

Betty nodded, mind still buzzing will all of this new information. What Twilight zone had she just stepped in to?

She glanced at Jughead, her heart sinking with remembrance of situations all too familiar, and consequences similarly dire.

So why did she feel her heart skip a beat when Jughead smiled at her?

* * *

Later that night, when they were both in bed with the light off, Betty asked the question she had been wondering ever since they left the fight.

"Veronica?"

"Hm? Veronica replied sleepily.

"What did Kevin mean when he said no one would fight Jughead?" Betty rolled over to face her friend. In the darkness, she could barely see her outline.

"Just that." Veronica replied. Betty sighed huffily. Why could no one give her a straight answer when it came to this?

"Okay, but why?"

Veronica sighed heavily, and Betty started to feel bad for pressing so hard. "As far as I know, Jughead was merciless. He would fight anyone, no matter what. But somehow… he always won." She paused, gathering her thoughts and letting Betty absorb the information. "Something happened a couple years ago. Archie won't tell me what, and no one is close enough to Jughead to figure it out. But all of a sudden, Jughead just stopped fighting. He said he wanted to focus on school and making money, but we all know he's covering up something."

Betty was surprised. While Jughead looked admittedly muscular, he seemed far too slight to ever hold his own in a fight to the caliber she had witnessed that night. Was it possible that there was a side to him she hadn't seen yet?

Of course, Betty decided, rolling over and closing her eyes. She barely knew the boy.

Betty had just about drifted off when Veronica softly said her name.

"Yeah, V?"

"You're not going to write the article, right?"

Betty paused, suddenly wide-awake. She hadn't thought about her story since 11pm, when the fight had started. However, she couldn't fathom putting what she had witnessed that night into words.

Remembering Jughead, Betty said slowly, "No V… I'm not."

Drifting off to sleep, Betty couldn't help but think of blue eyes and a far off memory of other, more illicit fighting.

Author's Note: I would really appreciate some feedback! Let me know what ya'll think!


	3. Chapter II

Betty woke up the next morning, her heart thrumming and gasping for breath. It took her a moment to remember what had her subconscious in such turmoil, but all of a sudden it all came rushing back – the basement, the fights, Jughead's hand on her wrist.

She let out a shaky breath, thankful Veronica had an early class on Friday's.

It took her a moment to collect herself. Why had last night affected her so much? This was not the first time she had been exposed to depravity.

Not even close.

Shaking her head and drawing herself up to a sitting position, Betty glanced around the room. It was small and cramped, but Betty loved her dorm more than words could explain. Her cramped desk with her battered MacBook, her twin-bed with hand me down sheets and duvet. The solitary photograph of her family from her high school graduation – Polly radiant and gorgeous, Betty pale and strained between her grim-faced parents. She quickly looked away.

Stretching her toes, she languidly pushed her covers from her lap and stripped out of her pajamas. Wrapping her towel around her, Betty grabbed her shower caddy and opened her door to shower in the bathroom down the hall.

In the shower, Betty couldn't help but feel foolish. She had spent so long trying to escape her situation, trying to run away from the very thing she had taken such interest in last night.

She couldn't afford to go back to what she had worked so hard to distance herself from.

Under the scalding stream of water, the full brevity of the situation hit Betty. How could she have been so stupid? This entire thing was bad news, a Dateline episode waiting to happen. There was no way she could go back to that basement, to the crudely drawn ring and her friends getting the shit beat out of them while people cheered.

Her thoughts drifted to Jughead, and she felt a pang of fear in her heart. It was so clear to her now that this boy was capital letters Bad News. How had she not seen it last night? No one in their right mind would become involved in such a risky, illegal situation.

Betty felt fear while thinking of Jughead, but not fear of the man himself. He was dangerous, yes, that much was obvious. If she were to believe Veronica, he was even more vicious than Archie or Thomas in the ring last night.

But mostly, she felt scared _for_ Jughead. She had been in enough tight situations to know that pulling yourself up from the rubble was excruciating, backbreaking work. Not everyone could afford to change their surroundings so completely.

Jughead had been calm and collected during the fights last night, a point of peace in an otherwise tumultuous environment. But Betty recognized something in his eyes – something she had seen within herself far too many times to count.

Resignation.

It made her eyes fill with tears, a combination of memories long buried and the sting of new, strong recollections of intense blue eyes.

Falling to the floor and pressing her palm to her mouth, Betty felt her tears stream down her face, mixing with the scalding water. She felt herself on the edge of a panic attack, shaking and hyperventilating. Letting herself sob silently, she curled into herself.

Betty wasn't sure how long she stayed on the cold tile floor, her head between her knees, taking deep shuddering breathes. She had been prone to panic attacks her whole life – a byproduct of growing up in an environment constantly on the edge of destruction.

She was lucky, this one was quick with no onlookers. Still, she felt exhausted and spent. Making the unilateral decision to skip her classes for the day and curl up in bed, Betty dragged herself out of the shower and trudged back to her room.

There was a lot that Betty didn't talk about anymore – the life she had built here in Riverdale was very far removed from the life she had in New York. She didn't like to think about it, because days like this would inevitably happen. If she were to continue partaking in the fights, even just as a bystander, there would be many more panic attacks in her future.

She had to stay away.

Swinging her door open, she was faced with a familiar figure sitting at her desk, staring impassively at the surprised blonde. She gasped and took an involuntary step backwards, pressing her back against the closed door.

Jughead Jones was in her room, legs spread before him, crossed at the ankles as if it were his God given right to be there. It took Betty a moment to realize that the dark-haired boy was glaring at her, arms crossed and shoulders tense.

All she could do was stare, mouth agape. Although Jughead had seemed momentarily surprised when she entered her room in just a towel, his mouth had quickly returned to the grim line it was set in now.

"So," he said, breaking the stunned silence. "You're a journalist?"

"How did you… Why – What are you doing here?" Betty stammered, clutching the towel to her body.

"Answer the question."

Betty glared, suddenly furious. "Yes, I'm a journalism major. I'm also _very_ naked, so if you don't mind, could you like… Go?" She gestured furiously to the door, Jughead's face darkened and he sprung to his feet, drawing threateningly toward Betty. She held her ground, glaring back.

"So what now?" Jughead snarled, his cheeks flushed. "You're going to write an exposé on the evil, sadistic underground fight club? Expose your best friends boyfriend and countless others in the name of journalistic integrity? That's typical. I thought you were just some rich girl looking for some cheap excitement, but I guess you're even worse than that."

Betty was stunned. She couldn't believe this boy she barely knew had the audacity to come into her room and yell at her about a story she had already decided to abandon.

"How dare you," Betty said softly, glaring at Jughead. His chest heaved and he opened his mouth to interrupt her, but Betty pushed past him toward the small closet on the opposite wall. Grabbing the clothes she had laid out for class, she spun back around to face the boy, still gripping her towel.

She barely stopped to glare at him, pushing past him and out the door. Making her way back to the bathroom, Betty took a few breaths. She tried to view the situation from his point of view, but it was difficult as she was still pissed beyond reason.

Pulling on her clothes in the stall, Betty stopped for a moment. Taking a deep breath, guilt suddenly flooded her belly. It was admittedly unfair of her to go to the fight last night – he had thought she was just another observer, and hadn't tried to hide any of the numerous illegal activities his business facilitated.

Making her way back to her room, Betty felt marginally more levelheaded. Opening the door, she found Jughead pacing the small space, his cheeks stained with color.

"Listen," Betty said, holding up a hand to prevent the boy from speaking. "I know how this may look. But you should know I have no plans to write _any_ story on what I saw last night."

Jughead's shoulders visibly sagged, and his eyes softened marginally.

"I'm not… I wasn't trying to take advantage of you last night." Betty stammered, suddenly at a loss for words. "I didn't know what I was going to see until it was all right there, laid out in front of me. It wasn't right of me to go in there with the intention to expose the fights. And I'm sorry."

Betty looked at Jughead, trying to convey her sincerity. She really did feel bad – she had never considered the fact that there were real people behind what she primarily saw as a great story. Jughead looked at her, seemingly stunned for a moment before looking away and clearing his throat.

"Well… uh. I appreciate it." He said, rubbing his neck. "Thanks." He added lamely.

Betty raised an eyebrow, folding her arms over her chest. "Is there anything else you want to say?"

"I guess… I'm sorry too. Kevin told me about the story this morning and I got a little… carried away." He gestured to the vacant desk chair. "Veronica told me your schedule. I don't think she bargained on me camping out in your room for an hour."

"You've been here for an _hour_? How did you even get in?"

Jughead smiled for the first time since he'd been there, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I may have picked your lock. Sorry about that too."

Betty rolled her eyes and collapsed on her bed. She gestured for Jughead to sit down. "Listen, I don't mind you asking me not to write a story. I've passed up plenty of articles before. But you don't know me. You can't just barge in to my room and insinuate I'm some bored rich girl with nothing better to do than uncover some lame, student run fight club."

She took a deep breath. Jughead looked ashamed, eyes not leaving her face. "You don't know me," she repeated, "and that was a shitty thing to say."

It was silent for a minute, but not the kind of uncomfortable silence that came after a fight. Betty thought that he was genuinely trying to think of the words to encompass his feelings – a trait she admired as a journalist. Most people said the first thing that crossed their minds. Not Jughead.

"I'm sorry, Betty." He said solemnly. Betty's heart sped up – it was the first time she had heard him say her name. His eyes narrowed all of a sudden. "Have you been crying?"

"What?"

"Your eyes are red and your face is puffy."

Betty's hands flew up to her face. She wasn't embarrassed to be seen without makeup or in casual clothes, but she knew from experience that her post-crying complexion was red, splotchy, and generally alarming. She was surprised it had taken him this long to notice, although she too had completely forgotten about her panic attack in the shower.

"No," she said, lying effortlessly. "The shower was just hot. I have sensitive skin."

"You're lying."

Betty was surprised. She was usually able to fool people – only Veronica was able to call her out on her lies, and even that was a byproduct of 10 years of friendship.

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are," Jughead said, staring at her intently. "Otherwise you wouldn't have given me an excuse."

"It's not an excuse, it's a reasonable explanation."

Jughead scoffed. "That's not at all – "

"It's also none of your business." Betty said loudly, cutting him off. Jughead set his jaw, staring at the blonde with a puzzled expression.

It was silent for a long moment as the pair continued to stare at each other. Betty had the distinct feeling Jughead was trying to figure her out.

"Why don't you fight anymore?" She asked abruptly, breaking the silence.

"What?" Jughead said, genuinely taken aback. He shook his head, schooling his features to a neutral, cool expression. "How do you know about that?"

"I'm a journalist," Betty said, smiling wryly. "It's my job to know."

"It's also none of your business." Jughead said gently. Betty had the sensation that this was not the first time he had given that answer to this particular question.

"Fair enough," she said, shrugging. "But if you don't mind, I have class in twenty minutes."

"Okay," Jughead said, surprised at his dismissal. He stood up and straightened his beanie, making his way to the door. After he opened it and Betty had let out a sigh of relief, he stopped suddenly.

Turning around, Jughead said, "I'll put you on the list. Come anytime."

And then he was gone.

* * *

"I'm really sorry, B." Veronica said sincerely. Betty had just regaled her with the story of that afternoon, and Veronica was understandably upset.

"It's okay," Betty said, not for the first time that night. "It sounds worse than it was. I think he was just scared."

Veronica looked scandalized. "You mean you witnessed Jughead Jones emote an actual, human feeling? Incredible."

Betty laughed. "His name isn't actually Jughead, right?"

Veronica paused, taking a sip of water. "It's not, but no one but Archie knows his real name. It drives me crazy."

Betty smiled, playing with her necklace. She saw Veronica glance at her neck nervously. Betty immediately dropped her hands to her lap, knowing that this was a nervous habit leftover from years of anxiety. Veronica leaned forward, smiling comfortingly and grasping Betty's hand.

"It was a lot last night, right?" she said understandingly. Betty's eyes stung as she nodded.

"It was just… intense." She blinked the tears that had suddenly pooled in her eyes away, pulling herself from her reverie to make eye contact with Veronica.

"You know Betty," Veronica started gently, "You don't have to – "

"Don't, V," Betty interrupted, raising her hand. "I know."

"I just want you to know that you're not alone anymore."

Veronica smiled, and patted Betty's hand, drawing herself back into her seat as Betty took a moment to collect herself.

By the time Betty looked up, Veronica was scrolling on her phone. They spent a few moments in silence, Betty reviewing a study guide for a test the next week.

"So, did he say anything else?" Veronica asked, looking up. "Jughead." She said to Betty's confused look.

"Oh!" Betty thought back. The entire afternoon seemed like it had happened a long time ago. She felt removed from the last 24 hours of her life. "He said 'come anytime.' I don't really know what that means."

"What?!" Veronica exclaimed. "Betty, that's an open invitation to any fight for the rest of the semester! I don't even have access to that!"

"But I thought you could go whenever? Aren't they just always at the house?"

"No, not at all," Veronica said, staring at her in awe. "Kevin has told me of some really crazy fights that happen in secret locations. No one but Jughead and Archie's closest confidantes are invited."

"Well, I don't want it," Betty said, staring at her friend determinedly. What had she done to cause Jughead to trust her so implicitly?

"Trust me, B." Veronica said slowly, staring at her solemnly. "At this point, it doesn't matter."

A/N: May we all call out the people who are shitty to us à la Betty Cooper.

Don't forget to review!


	4. Chapter III

Betty loved school. She was an excellent student, and she loved learning new things and exploring new subjects. Her intellect was a large part of the reason she had escaped her hometown so early – colleges were happy to give scholarships to brilliant students from poor areas.

Betty loved school, but she hated math.

Statistics and trigonometry may as well have been foreign languages to her. Forget calculus, she struggled through basic geometry. If it hadn't been for Veronica in high school, she was sure she would have failed all three years of required math.

All those memories of stress and long nights studying came rushing back as she sat in her required Statistics class, her professor switching the slides from basic probability to something that looked like it came from A Beautiful Mind. Groaning, she slid even further down her seat, resting her forehead on the cool metal table. She heard a chuckle from her left, and turned to smile at her friend, Trev.

Trev was the first friend Betty made in college. They had been mercifully grouped together at orientation, and had happened to be on the same floor their freshman year. Because they were the same major, they had been able to take many of the same classes and help each other study.

"Do you understand any of this?" Betty whispered to her friend.

Trev smiled, rolling his eyes and pointing to the board. "It's basic statistics, Betts. I remember this from high school."

Betty groaned again, trying and failing to reorient her attention on her professor. Her thoughts drifted off once again as she felt Trev glance at her, his gaze lingering just a little too long.

She knew that Trev's feelings for her had developed beyond normal friendship. Of course she was flattered – he was gorgeous and smart, even now half of the girls in class were staring at him in a daze. But Betty had just never felt anything for him beyond friendship.

She had often wished that she could respond to his feelings – he had asked her out on multiple occasions. It would have been so easy for her – To date a football player, wear his jersey to games, hang off his arm… But she couldn't do it.

Betty had been the arm candy of enough football players to know that on the sidelines wasn't where she truly belonged.

Thankfully, her gentle rejection of his advances had not dampened their friendship in any way. Each time, Trev would just smile softly and shrug, going back to homework or dinner, giving Betty space to breathe and be on her own.

It hurt her that she couldn't return Trev's feelings. She knew she loved him, but not in the way he deserved. He had never made her feel guilty, but Betty knew that if it were up to Trev, she would be his girlfriend by now.

She sighed heavily, glancing at the clock and counting down the minutes until she could go home and curl up in bed. Thankfully, it was Friday, and she had no plans for the rest of the weekend. All she wanted to do was lie in bed, eat junk food, and watch terrible movies on Netflix.

"Hey," Trev whispered, looking at his friend intently. "You okay?"

His gentle smile made Betty's heart ache. God, why couldn't she just love him? It would have been so simple.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."

Trev nodded, seemingly appeased. "I feel like I haven't even had time to breathe since midterms. Thank god spring break is in a couple weeks. Have you decided what you're doing yet?"

Betty winced. She had completely forgotten about spring break. "I think I'll probably just stay here. Veronica usually goes home, so I'll have the dorm to myself."

"You're going to stay here all alone?" Trev looked concerned, but thankfully the professor had just wrapped up class for the day.

"It's not a big deal," Betty said, springing out of her seat and grabbing her bag. "I stay here most breaks. It's kinda fun to be the only one on campus. I get a ton of work done too."

"I guess," Trev said, looking doubtful. Standing as well, his face lit up with inspiration. "Hey, why don't you-"

"Oh shit, is that the time?" Betty said loudly. "I better go, Trev. I'll see you on Monday!"

Betty hurried off, leaving Trev looking crestfallen in her wake. It wasn't that she couldn't handle rejecting her friend's advances again, it was that she didn't _want_ to. It hurt her to see him disappointed.

She sighed dejectedly, making her way back to the dorms. It had been a week since the fight, and her life had gone back to relative normal. Her days were tinged with grey now, a boring rut she hadn't realized she had fallen in to.

The truth was, if Veronica had thought that having access to this illicit, secret world of underground fighting and gambling was going to change Betty's life, then she was dead wrong. In fact, there was almost no perceptible change. Sure, she occasionally felt as though people's eyes lingered on her for a little too long, but she just chalked that up to the exposé she had written on the women's lacrosse team to take the place of her failed fight story.

Honestly, Betty was bored.

Resolving to have a better attitude next week, Betty swung her door open. Not for the first time that semester, she gasped in surprise.

"Archie!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey Betty," the redhead said, lounging on her roommates bed. "Sorry I scared you. Veronica's in the bathroom."

"That's okay," Betty said, her heart still racing. "You'd think I would be used to walking in on people unexpectedly in my room after last week. No biggie."

"Yeah, I heard Juggie kinda overstepped his boundaries the other day. You're okay, right?"

Betty was surprised. Archie had always struck her as the 'suffer in silence' type, not one to care much for emotions

"I'm alright, thanks. I think he was just scared."

Archie nodded. "We all were. A story like that could have been really bad for us. Thanks for not writing it." He looked genuinely grateful, and Betty felt guilt gnawing at her. She didn't mean to cause this much upset.

"Well…" Betty said awkwardly, dropping her bag. "I'm sorry I ever caused any worry. I didn't know how big this was until I actually, you know… _saw it._ "

Archie nodded sympathetically. "It can be a lot to handle all at once. Jughead told me you were remarkably calm."

Betty snorted. "I don't know about remarkably."

Archie held up his hands. "Hey, just repeating what I've heard."

Before Betty could ask him to elaborate, Veronica walked in the door.

"Hey B!" She said, walking past her and collapsing on her bed next to Archie. She gave him a look so sweet, Betty had to look away. Her heart felt impossibly heavy. Why couldn't she look at someone like that?

"We're going to Archie's to watch a movie later. Do you want to come?" Veronica looked at her expectantly.

Betty paused. "It's not a date, right? I don't want a repeat of the last time we had a movie night."

Veronica rolled her eyes. "You are so dramatic. It wasn't even a big deal."

"You were making out while I sat five feet away from you! I'm scarred for life, V."

Archie laughed good-naturedly, standing up and swinging his book bag on his shoulders. "Nah, this time there will be other people there as buffers. I'm heading to class." With one foot out the door, he suddenly stuck his head back in and looked pleadingly at Betty. "Please come. I don't think I can handle him for another week."

Betty could practically feel Veronica's excitement, but before she could stop him, the door clicked shut.

"Well," Veronica said, a little breathless. "What do you think that meant?"

Betty rolled her eyes, groaning and collapsing on her bed. "I don't know and I don't care. I'm just going to stay here all night and not think about it."

Before she had the chance to stop her, Veronica had jumped on Betty's bed with her, cramming her best friend closer to the wall. Giggling, Betty repositioned herself so they could both lie comfortably.

Moments like these reminded Betty why she loved Veronica so much.

It was easy to become jaded by what she had seen and experienced, but Veronica kept her grounded. She didn't need to follow Betty all the way to Virginia after she fled their hometown, but she did anyway. And for that Betty was always grateful.

"What's wrong? You've been down for a week now." Veronica curled her arm underneath her head, turning on her side to look at her best friend. "Is it Jughead? I'm sorry I told him your schedule, B, I really thought he just wanted to ask you out, but then –"

"Veronica," Betty interrupted her. "It's not about anything. Its just been one of those weeks, and… I don't know. I'm in a funk."

Veronica didn't seem convinced. "Are you sure? You know you can talk to me about anything."

Betty nodded. Suddenly, she shot up, startling Veronica and causing her to fall off the bed.

"What do you mean you thought Jughead wanted to ask me out?" Betty exclaimed, looking at her usually graceful friend on the floor.

"I mean," Veronica said, standing up and dusting herself off. "That it was _so_ obvious he's into you. Duh, Betts."

"I thought you said people weren't close with Jughead?"

"I did," Veronica said, sitting down on her bed. "But who knows? I personally think you guys would be good together."

Betty lapsed into silence. Jughead?! Sure, he was gorgeous and mysterious, but he also ran an underground fight club. She wasn't sure she could handle that kind of baggage.

"You really didn't see it?" Veronica asked, noticing Betty was deep in thought. "Even Archie noticed. And he didn't realize I've started parting my hair on the left side until like, last week."

Betty laughed, rolling her eyes. "I guess I've just been out of the game for too long."

Betty chuckled to herself, noticing Veronica's expression darken.

"Don't even say that, B. You take as much time as you need. No one expects you to just… magically be fine."

"My mom does." Betty said quietly.

"Well, Alice Cooper has always been a special brand of outrageous. I love you, B. And if you're not comfortable coming out tonight, or ever for that matter, then don't worry. I'll come home with highlights. Or I can stay home, and we can have a spa night!" Veronica clapped her hands together, looking excited. Her expression became serious once more when she realized Betty did not share her enthusiasm.

"Seriously Betty… whatever you need."

Betty nodded, once again feeling grateful for her best friend.

"I think… I think I need to watch a movie and eat junk food with my friends."

* * *

That night, Betty and Veronica walked to Archie's in relative silence. Since he and Jughead were juniors at Riverdale, they were eligible for off campus housing. The student neighborhood was fairly quiet for a Friday night – Betty wondered what the students did to entertain themselves when there wasn't a fight.

Deep in thought, she hadn't noticed Veronica steer her down a side street. Turning down a driveway, Betty looked up to a small yellow house. She could see Christmas lights in one window, and an American flag hanging in another. She shook her head – apparently beating the shit out of other students every other weekend didn't make these boys any less of the typical college student.

Veronica opened the door, ushering Betty in.

"Archie! Jughead!" she yelled unceremoniously. "We're here!"

"We?!" Betty heard Archie exclaim from upstairs. All of a sudden, the redhead appeared on the stairs to their left, looking hopeful. "Oh, thank god." He said when he spotted Betty. "Jughead would not stop asking me if you were coming."

"You never had an answer other than, 'dunno, bruh'." Jughead appeared behind him. Betty immediately flushed, remembering their last encounter. Jughead clapped Archie on the shoulder. "Excuse me for wanting to know how many people to buy snacks for."

Betty grinned, her eyes flitting between the two boys. Now, in a calmer environment, it was clear that the two were close. Even just standing there, she could sense a deep relationship between them. They were closer than friends – almost like brothers.

Veronica grinned, looking back and forth between Jughead and Betty. "Well, now we're here and ready for snacks." She started climbing the stairs, pulling Betty behind her.

The stairs opened up to the top floor of the house. The space was small and cramped, but homey and inviting. There was a small living room type area with a couch and beanbags, and closed doors Betty assumed led to the boys' bedrooms.

"Oh my God," Betty said, stopping in her tracks when she spotted a Fight Club movie poster hanging above their couch. "You didn't."

Jughead laughed, immediately flopping onto the beanbag closest to the couch and gesturing for Betty to take a seat.

"Inside joke," he said sarcastically, smirking and glancing at Archie. "You wouldn't get it."

Betty just rolled her eyes, noticing Veronica and Archie were already engaged in a passionate conversation, something she was sure would lead to other passions later in the night.

"What movie are we watching?" she asked Jughead. He rolled his eyes, gesturing to one of the doors on the far wall.

"We have to wait for Josie and Val to finish up. They want to watch too. We were going to go with the new Insidious, is that okay?" He looked nervous all of a sudden.

Betty laughed. "I didn't realize they kept making those movies after the old lady died. Now I'm curious."

"Val's here?" Veronica asked, glancing between Archie and Jughead. Betty could hear the forced casualness in her voice, and didn't miss the 'I told you so' look Jughead threw Archie. She looked at her friend confusedly.

"Yeah," Archie said after an awkward pause. "She's helping Josie on some music thing."

Veronica just nodded, moving to sit next to Betty on the couch. She made a mental note to ask about that later.

The door Jughead had indicated earlier opened, revealing two laughing girls.

"Josie!" Betty exclaimed, standing from her seat to hug the first girl. She was surprised to see Josie again, although she probably should have expected it. Betty had briefly seen her at the fight last week.

"Oh my gosh, Betty!" Josie exclaimed, hugging the blonde. "I haven't seen you since accounting ended! How are you?"

"I'm good!" It was good to see Josie. They had been friends the spring semester of their freshman year, but had lost touch over the summer. "Are you still with The Pussycats?"

"Considering she renamed them 'Josie and the Pussycats,'" Val said, rolling her eyes good-naturedly, "I'd say it's a pretty safe assumption."

Betty and Josie laughed, but Betty noticed that they were the only ones to do so. Veronica was busy glaring at Archie, who was pretending he didn't notice his girlfriends gaze by looking at the three girls. Betty glanced at Jughead, who quickly looked away from staring at her to Archie.

Betty could tell it was going to be a long night.

 **A/N: Tipsy editing tbh. Hopefully 3-drink deadsea did me good. (Update from hungover deadsea: she didn't.)**

 **Leave me some love!**


	5. Chapter IV

"I saw your lacrosse story," Jughead whispered to Betty over the movie. "It was really good."

"You don't have to lie," Betty whispered back, smiling. "I know it was super boring."

Jughead grimaced, shaking his head. "It was better than the story I know you gave up. Thanks again."

"Don't mention it." Betty said. "It's just nice to know someone actually reads the Blue and Gold. I thought the only copies that got taken were the ones I gave to Veronica."

Jughead opened his mouth to reply, but both were startled by shrieks from Josie and Val. Their attention was once again drawn back to the movie until the credits rolled ten minutes later.

"Is this the first time you've been here?" Jughead asked as Archie flipped the lights on and Veronica and Josie chatted.

"Yeah," Betty replied, blinking in the sudden light. "Weirdly, we've never hung out here."

"So weird." Archie muttered. Veronica slapped his arm.

"You guys don't live in the house you use for fights?" Betty asked, turning to Jughead.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "What's the expression? Don't shit where you eat."

Betty laughed, rolling her eyes. She noticed that the four beside her were almost comically silent, clearly tense and uncomfortable.

"Is your last name Cooper?" Val asked suddenly, squinting at Betty.

"Uh, yeah," Betty said, glancing around, perplexed. Both Jughead and Veronica looked surprised. "Why?"

"I'm Valerie Brown," she said, smiling at Betty. "Trev Brown is my twin brother. I've heard a lot about you."

"Oh!" Betty said, feeling the hot stares of everyone in the room. "He's mentioned you! I can't believe we haven't met before, though."

Val rolled her eyes, not caring that everyone in the room was focused on their conversation. "Trev only cares about football and school, not much else."

Betty didn't know what to say, so she just smiled and nodded. Veronica started chatting with Archie a little too loudly while Betty noticed Jughead sink into his beanbag, moodily scrolling through his phone.

Conversation had almost gone back to a manageable normal when Val asked, "So Betty, have you decided if you're coming with us for spring break yet?

"What?" Betty said, shocked. The room had gone dead quiet, even Josie picking up on the tension.

Val looked confused. "Trev texted me this afternoon and said he was going to see if you wanted to spend spring break with us in Cancun. Everything's already paid for and booked, we really just need to know by the end of the week if you're coming." She suddenly looked embarrassed. "Has he not asked you yet? I thought he was going to do it after class!"

"Um…" Betty's head was reeling. She knew she had gotten out of Trev asking her out again, but an entire vacation? Absolutely not. "He hadn't asked me yet, but I was definitely just planning on staying in Riverdale for break."

"Oh," Val said, noticeably disappointed. "That's too bad. It seemed like he was really looking forward too it.

Betty didn't even dare glance at Veronica or Jughead. The strain in the air was almost palpable, and Betty knew that she had to leave immediately.

As conversation wearily picked up across the room, Betty tried to appear nonchalant. Without making it too obvious, she picked up her phone and feigned a shocked expression.

"Oh no!" she gasped to no one in particular. Veronica immediately understood, widening her eyes. "My editor just texted. There's a problem with my story for Monday. I have to go take care of this."

She was practically out the door by the second sentence, but Veronica, her saving-grace and knight in shining armor, sprang up. "I'll walk you home so you can fix it." She said, gathering her coat and purse.

"No," Jughead said calmly, speaking for the first time since Val dropped the Trev bomb. "I'll walk her home. You stay so Archie doesn't spend the night playing depressed acoustic guitar."

Veronica looked imploringly at Betty, asking permission. "That's fine," Betty said, nodding. She just needed to get out of there. Jughead put his phone in his back pocket, looking impassive and emotionless to any bystander. But Betty could tell he was confused and a little hurt.

Gripping her gently by the elbow, Jughead steered Betty down the stairs. She didn't look back.

"Are you okay?" Jughead said lowly as she slipped her shoes on. Betty nodded, turning around and opening the door to the cool night air.

They walked for a few minutes in silence, Jughead with his hands in his pockets and his ever-present beanie pulled low. Betty felt hot and clammy all at once, and took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Do you want to stop for a minute?" Jughead spoke for the first time, breaking the tranquil night air. Betty exhaled loudly, stopping in her tracks.

"I'm not dating Trev." She said as Jughead wheeled around to face her. "We're friends. I mentioned to him that I was staying in Riverdale over break and he got worried thinking I would be lonely. That's all."

Jughead looked perplexed, his brow furrowed and his hands still stuffed in his pockets.

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked softly, looking at her confusedly.

"Because I thought…. Val – "

"Val is kind of being an asshole right now. She and Archie hooked up once while he and Veronica were on a break and now she's trying to stir the pot any way she can. I know you aren't with Trev. You looked completely blindsided when she said that about spring break. But even if you were dating Trev, it's not my business." He paused again, looking deliberate. "I don't care about the boys who like you. I care about you."

Betty's chest untightened for the first time since they left the house. "Okay."

"Okay," Jughead said, smiling. They walked for another minute or so before Jughead broke the silence again. "Panic attacks, right?"

Betty looked at him, mouth agape. He looked much older than his age, haunted by things Betty couldn't understand.

"Since I was 7," she said slowly, not breaking eye contact. "How did you know?"

"I've been around the block once or twice," Jughead said, smiling wryly. "It was pretty obvious you needed to get out of there. Do you need anything?"

"No," Betty replied, shaking her head. "Just… getting out of the situation usually does the trick."

"Interesting," Jughead said airily, as if they were discussing the weather. "Usually I need a burger and milkshake."

"Well," Betty said, her dorm entrance coming into view. "Call me next time and I'd be happy too treat."

Betty turned around to face him, and Jughead looked at her like he did in her dorm room. Like he was trying to figure out what to make of her.

"You're an interesting girl, Betty Cooper."

"Well, there are far more boring things to be."

Jughead laughed, rubbing his neck and rocking on his toes. "If you need anything… Just call me, okay?"

They exchanged numbers, Betty ignoring the swooping sensation in her stomach as she entered hers in his phone.

He had just turned to leave when she grabbed his elbow, pulling him back to face her.

"You were wrong," she said, staring at him imploringly. "It is your business."

She kissed his cheek, ignoring how drained and tired she felt from the long night. "Thank you for walking me home."

Not daring to look at him again, she turned and bounded up the steps into her building.

* * *

Monday afternoon couldn't come soon enough. Betty had managed to avoid a panic attack on Friday night, but she had worked herself into a temper about Val blindsiding her with news of Cancun by Monday.

Fully planning to take out her bad mood on Trev, Betty's heart thawed a little when she saw him sitting at their usual table, looking upset and nervous upon spotting her.

Sitting down, she turned to him with eyebrows raised. "I'm assuming you heard what happened on Friday?"

"Yeah," he said quickly, "And I just wanted to let you know that I'm _so_ sorry. Val never should have said that in front of everyone, and I should have been the one to ask. I never thought that you two would – "

"Trev," Betty said, her heart melting entirely. "I know. It's not your fault. It was an honest mistake."

"Still," he said, looking relieved. "It shouldn't have happened."

"Well, it's okay," Betty said, shrugging. "No harm done."

"So," Trev said after a beat, looking embarrassed. "I guess that's a no to Cancun?"

Betty laughed out loud, shaking her head at her friend. "Yeah, Trev. That's a no to Cancun."

"Well okay," he said, smiling and leaning back in his chair. "But I don't know what fun you're going to have in Riverdale that you couldn't be having on vacation somewhere warm and sunny."

Betty had just opened her mouth to reply when someone in the row behind her tapped her shoulder. "Betty Cooper?"

She looked up to see a short, brown-haired girl. She was smiling, but appeared nervous.

"Yeah?" Betty replied, glancing at Trev. He looked just as confused as she felt.

"I was asked to give you this." The girl handed Betty a previously unnoticed envelope with the initials 'B.C.' scrawled on the front.

Confused, Betty flipped open the flap and pulled out what appeared to be a movie ticket. Looking more closely, her confused expression disappeared completely, replaced by shock.

 **Fight Club,** the ticket read simply. **Wednesday, 11pm. Abandoned Thornhill Estate.**

Betty's jaw dropped, instantly trying to conceal the ticket from Trev. She looked up at the girl, a million questions popping into her head.

"He also told me to tell you," the girl said, ignoring Betty's expression. " That he really hopes you'll come."

She smiled and walked to her seat, leaving a shell-shocked Betty and a confused Trev in her wake.

"Betty, what is it?"

Ignoring Trev's question, Betty put the ticket back in the envelope to be shoved to the bottom of her bag. Instead, her hand came in contact with another piece of paper, this one clearly hastily written upon and torn out of a notebook.

 _B,_

 _It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything._

 _I hope you'll come._

 _-J.J._

"Well," Trev said quietly, reading over Betty's shoulder. "Maybe you'll have more fun than I thought."

 **A/N: my fave chapter so far. Let me know what you think!**


	6. Chapter V

Of all the things Betty had expected to be doing when she woke up that morning, staking out Jughead Jones' house had not been one of them.

She had been stunned to receive an invitation to another fight – she assumed that his invitation in her dorm had been primarily theoretical, the way you make lofty plans for dinner with an old high school friend, but then never follow through. Plus, not even a week ago, he had assumed Betty was the catalyst of the fight clubs entire destruction. Why was he giving her access to the nooks and crannies of this highly illegal business now?

Safe to say, Betty was confused.

She had only managed to hold off Trev's whispered interrogations for so long, feigning a headache to get out of coffee with him after class. But he wasn't stupid. He had to know what the message meant.

And regardless of Trev and his questions, what did this mean for Betty and Jughead's relationship? Veronica had said that he only extended fight invitations to those he truly trusted. Did this mean Jughead thought she was trustworthy?

All of these questions were spinning through her head when Betty left class, numb to the chilly spring breeze. She hadn't consciously intended to end up in front of Jughead's house, but her feet knew what her brain was not ready too accept.

So now, here she was, standing across the street from the small yellow house, glaring up at the windows as if it were the raven-haired boy himself. She had just turned to go, deeming the confrontation as silly when Josie walked out of the house to get the mail.

"Betty?" she called across the street, looking confused. "What are you doing here?" Realization dawned on her face. "Oh, are you here to see Jughead? He'll be back from class in a few minutes, come on in to wait."

She turned around and walked back into the house before Betty could explain, leaving the door wide open. Hesitating before crossing the street and climbing the steps, she walked through the front door cautiously.

Wandering toward the sounds of Josie in the kitchen, Betty felt suddenly overwhelmed. What was she doing here? Hadn't she just decided last week that it would be best to stay away from Jughead? Shaking her head and rounding the corner to the kitchen, she saw Josie fiddling with the Keurig.

"I genuinely just don't understand how this thing works," she said, her attention focused on the machine. "But I need to practice, because if I break one more kitchen appliance, Archie and Jughead are going to kick me out. So sit, I'm making you a cup of coffee."

Betty laughed, some of her tension melting away. She could do this. Coffee and conversation with an old friend. Sinking down in the battered, second-hand kitchen chair, she watched Josie navigate the kitchen.

"So I'm guessing you got your invitation to the fight?" Josie asked conversationally.

"Was it that obvious?"

"No. But sometimes I forget how weird this entire situation is until a new person comes in and reminds me just _how_ illegal it really is." She paused for a minute, looking uncharacteristically grim over the freshly brewed cup of coffee. Sitting down and sliding it across the table to Betty, her expression softened.

"It's just... a lot." Betty said, wrapping her hands around the cup and lifting it to her lips.

"I think we all forget just how crazy it is." Josie repeated. "Archie, Jughead, and I grew up together. We've been exposed to it since we were young. I remember going to my first fight when I was 13 and being completely overwhelmed."

Betty nodded, her brow furrowed. She couldn't picture a 13-year-old Jughead, weary or scared of the illicit activities that took place in that basement. In her head, he was always right in the middle of it.

"Can I ask how you got involved? How is it such a staple of the community?" Betty still couldn't understand how an entire network of bets and gambling could occur in the small, quiet college town.

Josie shrugged. "It's been around since our parents were young. People in this town will do anything for a little bit of excitement… At this point I think it's just an accepted fixture of Riverdale." She paused for a moment, lost in thought. "I think it would have died out by now if it weren't for Jughead. He and Archie took over from Jughead's dad when they were 18. And now it's more profitable than ever. Why stop when you're ahead, right?"

"Jughead's dad?!" Betty gaped. Her mind was spinning. She knew the boys had 'inherited' the business, but from Jughead's dad? She had just assumed that upperclassmen passed it down to the next class.

"Yeah," Josie nodded, seemingly coming back into herself. "But you'll have to ask him if you want any more information. It's not my place."

Betty nodded. They say in companionable silence for a moment, both deep in thought.

"I just…" Betty started hesitantly. "Kevin and Veronica mentioned something last time that I don't completely understand. Jughead used to fight?"

Josie nodded, her expression growing grave once more. "He quit cold turkey spring of freshman year. He and Archie had been running the business for a little over a year, when one night he told us he decided to quit everything. He was undefeated, but he was going to give the entire thing to Archie, walk away completely. We had to beg him to stay."

"Why though?"

Josie shook her head. "It's vicious, but profitable. None of us have to worry about tuition, books, rent… We're taken care of. He was going to drop out of school. We couldn't let that happen."

Betty nodded, her brow furrowed. There was still so much of this she didn't understand.

"Did he send you a movie ticket?" She looked up at Josie, surprised to see her friend grinning. Betty nodded and Josie rolled her eyes. "He always did have a flair for the dramatics. Isn't it ridiculous? Like, make it a little more obvious that we're running a highly illegal fight club, dude."

Betty smiled, laughing and picturing the three friends huddled around a craft table, meticulously creating copies of the invitation she had received that afternoon. The thought made her giggle harder.

Suddenly, the front door crashed open, Jughead appearing in the kitchen doorframe. His eyes were immediately drawn to Betty, and she tensed up once again. Remembering her true intention in her presence in his house, the smiled slipped from her face.

"Betty?" Jughead said, his brow furrowed. "What are you doing here? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, staring at the boy. She felt she had a completely new understanding of him now.

Feeling confused and inspired all at once, Betty looked up at Jughead, cocking her head and smiling softly. "Just wanted to see if I could buy you a burger and milkshake."

* * *

Apparently, getting Jughead to his favorite diner had been the easy part. He had been quiet the entire way there, and now they sat in silence in a booth that looked straight from the 60's.

The quiet was fine with Betty. Sipping her milkshake, she tried to categorize her feelings. Angry? Not quite. Frustrated? A little, at first. Confused? Definitely.

There was still so much she didn't know. She couldn't believe that just a week earlier, she had thought she had access to enough information too accurately report on the fight club. It was almost laughable to her now.

"So what is this?" Jughead said aggressively, looking anywhere but her face. "You're here to tell me you never want to see me again?"

Betty took her time before replying. "You know," she said slowly, stirring her milkshake. "This relationship would work a lot better if you would stop making assumptions on what you think my next move will be. Because so far, you're 0 for 2."

Jughead glanced up at the blonde, a small smile unfurling on his handsome face. "Relationship?"

"That's all you got from that?"

"Sorry," Jughead said, not looking sorry at all. "I tend to black out when pretty girls are talking to me."

Betty rolled her eyes. "Why is it your first instinct to be defensive?"

"Is there a psych minor you forgot to tell me about?"

"Answer the question, Plato."

"I think you mean Socrates."

"I think you're still avoiding the question."

Jughead paused, still smiling. He glanced down at the fries he had ordered, but hadn't touched. Picking up a handful, he chewed before answering. "I'm not close to many people. I'm sure Veronica has told you that. And you're just… different. You ask a lot of questions."

"Is that bad?" Betty asked, her brow furrowed.

"No, not at all." Jughead said definitively. "Just not what I'm used too. I've been virtually on my own since I was 16. I'm not used to people caring what I do or how I spend my time."

Betty nodded, breaking the intense eye contact. "I can understand that."

"It's not a bad thing," Jughead said, leaning forward and grabbing her hand. "Just…"

"Different." Betty repeated. "I know."

They lapsed back into silence, only breaking contact when the old diner cook brought their burgers. Betty hadn't even realized they had ordered them.

"Thanks Pops," Jughead said, looking at the older man with fondness.

"It seems like you come here a lot." Betty observed, picking up her burger. She hadn't realized how hungry she was.

"I used to. My old stomping grounds," Jughead said through a mouthful of food, gesturing outside. Betty could see an old drive-in theater and a high school. She bit back a smile.

"Any old yearbooks I could take a look at?" She joked. "I definitely don't believe Archie's hair is naturally that shade of red."

Jughead laughed, and they found themselves chatting about their lives before Riverdale. Betty steered the conversation toward him, being purposefully vague about her own upbringing. It was a tactic that usually worked, but she could feel his eyes narrow as the questions got more pointed.

Jughead was in the middle of a story of Archie and his crush on their high school music teacher when the bell above the door jingled and he broke off, his eyes going wide.

Suddenly, he stiffened his shoulders, his previously warm expression going blank. Betty looked at him, alarmed, a cold feeling coming into her chest. She had seen that particular blank look before. That kind of neutrality only came after years of forced detachment.

She turned her head, confused at what drained his spirit so quickly. All she saw was a man standing with his back facing her, a serpent imposed on the battered leather of his jacket. The man was tall with dark hair, chatting with Pop, who kept glancing over to Jughead worriedly.

"Betty," Jughead said sharply, grasping her hand. The word drew attention to the back booth, both Pop and the man looking around. Betty watched as the stranger's expression changed from one of stunned disbelief to a smirk.

"So," he said from across the diner, his eyes never leaving Jughead's face. "The prodigal son returns."

"Not quite," Jughead replied, his eyes fixed on a point just above his father's head. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't a man get a burger in his own goddamn neighborhood?"

Betty cringed, glancing back and forth between the two men. Jughead had clearly wanted to keep this part of his life hidden.

"Only when he's been banned from every other establishment in town." Jughead replied drily.

"Big man now, huh?" His father said after a pause, walking toward their booth slowly. "After ruining the family business, you'd think he'd have a little more respect." He directed this to Betty, who he had previously been ignoring. She wished he would return to this tactic.

"Don't talk to her." Jughead said sharply, standing up suddenly. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Boys," Pops said lowly. "I warned you after the last time."

Jughead had the sense to look abashed. "You'll get your money on the 1st, just like every other month." he said quietly to his father, angling his body away from Betty so she wouldn't overhear. It didn't help.

"That's not the point!" F.P. snarled. "I gave you everything on a silver platter! And now you bank on that fucking redhead every other week? That's not how I raised you, boy!"

"You didn't raise me to be anything!" Jughead yelled back.

Both men stopped, chests heaving and glaring at each other. F.P. suddenly turned to Betty.

"He was going to take us all the way, my boy. Turned out to be a disappointment just like his mother." The older man shook his head, while Jughead just looked to be in pain. Turning to glare at Jughead one last time on his way out, F.P. left just as suddenly as he had arrived.

Looking pale and smaller than she had ever seen him, Betty clambered out of the booth and took hold of Jughead's elbow, trying desperately to make him look at her.

Suddenly, he spun around to face Pop. Striding over to the register and paying without a word, he slunk out of the restaurant, breezing past Betty without even looking at her.

Without a second thought to their unfinished burgers, Betty ran after Jughead.

She caught up with him on a side street just off the main road, a long and roundabout way back to campus. His pace was quick, but manageable for Betty to fall into stride with him.

Not wanting to overstep her boundaries, but also wishing to convey her understanding of the situation, Betty tentatively took Jughead's hand. His fingers were ice cold, but a vice grip in Betty's.

They walked in silence for a few blocks, until Jughead stopped suddenly, pivoting to face her. Betty was reminded of Jughead's understanding the previous Friday night when he had walked her back to her dorm.

"There are a lot of things about my life that I don't talk about." He said, staring at the ground.

"Okay."

"Things that go way beyond underground fights and an absent father."

"I figured." Jughead still wouldn't look at her.

"Things that are fucked up. Things that… things that if you knew, you wouldn't want to be seen with me in this town ever again."

"I don't care about that," Betty said earnestly, taking a step forward and touching his cheeks. Forcing him to look at her, Betty saw just how tortured he was in telling her this information. "I care about you." Taking a deep breath, she continued. "I'm not saying I understood any of that. But I want you to know that I'm here if you do want me to understand."

Jughead paused, eyes connecting with Betty's as if it were the first time he'd ever seen her. Before she had the chance to expand upon her speech, Jughead had wound his hands up her neck and pulled her lips up to his.

Shocked, Betty gasped. But her surprise only lasted a millisecond before she melted into the kiss, responding to Jughead's outpouring of confused emotion with as much passion as she could muster.

Breaking apart, Jughead continued staring at her.

"There's shit you don't talk about either." He said suddenly, not taking his hands away from her neck. She could feel him thread his fingers through the baby hairs that had escaped from her ponytail.

"What?" She said, taken aback.

"I can tell. But… I think it's okay. I think you and I will be good for each other, Betty Cooper."

For the first time since they had seen his father, Jughead smiled.

* * *

They got back to Jughead's house twenty minutes later, just as the sun had begun to set and a chill started biting the air. They hadn't talked much on the walk home, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

The pair stopped in front of the steps, Jughead climbing one and turning back to Betty. "I can walk you home, if that's what you want. But you're also welcome to stay."

The decision was made for Betty when Veronica, Archie, and Josie came bursting onto the porch, all looking varying degrees of worried.

"Betty!" Exclaimed Veronica, making a beeline for her best friend. Betty watched as Archie hung back, clapping Jughead on the shoulder. "Where have you guys been?"

Betty was silent, not knowing what Jughead was comfortable telling everyone. "Pops." He said shortly, looking at the ground.

"He called." Archie said lowly. Jughead just nodded, glancing at Betty. She broke eye contact to look at Veronica, who seemed to understand at once that the pair needed to be alone.

"Well now I'm hungry." Veronica said calmly, letting go of Betty and holding her hand out to her boyfriend. "Take me to get a burger?" Archie nodded, seemingly understanding her reasoning.

"Josie?" Archie said, glancing at his roommate. She nodded, barely containing a smirk when she looked back and forth between Betty and Jughead. The three headed off in the direction of Veronica's car, not giving their friends another look. Betty couldn't help but feel grateful.

She looked back to Jughead, who smiled and jerked his head to the front door. Following him inside, Betty felt an overwhelming sense of calm. After witnessing what she did at Pop's that afternoon, she felt she had an entirely new perspective on Jughead. He was just trying to make the best of his situation – like everyone. Like her.

Betty followed him as he bypassed the living room upstairs, instead going through the farthest door to his bedroom. Hesitating in the doorway, she watched as he pulled off his flannel, leaving him in a grey t-shirt. He kicked off his shoes and collapsed on his bed, throwing his hands over his eyes and heaving a huge sigh.

She was struck by how handsome he was. Not in the way that some boys are striking or gorgeous, but in a more subtle sense. His face was all harsh angles, but his eyes were soft and caring. He was lean and muscular, but not sinewy.

He was everything she had ignored for the past two years in fear of getting hurt again.

"What are you thinking about?" Betty was torn from her reverie by Jughead's soft question. She made her way into his room, dropping onto his desk chair tiredly. His bedroom was exactly what she expected – small, but clean and organized. Devoid of many personal attachments, but distinctly _his_ in a way she couldn't quite explain yet.

"You're cute."

He smirked over at her, pulling himself up to lean on his wall. He pat the spot next to him, and Betty took the opportunity to sink onto the soft mattress, leaning heavily on to Jughead's shoulder. She shut her eyes and synced her breathing with his in an attempt to calm her racing heart.

"I've known Archie since I was 7." Jughead said lowly. Betty opened her eyes and lifted her head. For once, Jughead was looking right at her. "We grew up together. When my dad got so drunk he couldn't even see straight, I'd crash at Archie's house. His dad is a good guy."

Betty nodded, her brow furrowed. Jughead continued talking. "My dad tried… but it was hard after my mom left. She took my sister, and he spiraled from there."

"Jughead –" Betty tried to interrupt, but his fingers circled around her wrist, squeezing once in a silent plea.

"The Rages have been going on for as long as I can remember. My dad and Mr. Andrews ran them for a while, but Fred got out while he was young. My dad didn't. I think that's why he resents the Andrews so much. Fred was smart enough to do something more with his life. My dad…"

"Didn't." Betty whispered.

"Yeah." Jughead said gruffly, still looking at her. "I've grown up around the fights. It's everything I've ever known. And when my dad thought I knew enough to take over the family business, he gave it to me."

He smiled wryly. "Little did he know, I'd bring in the one person he didn't want involved. But I couldn't do it without my best friend. Some nights it felt like I was losing myself. With Archie, I can delude myself into believing it's just a side-gig we have on the weekends. Like… a band or a part-time job."

"Oh, Juggie." Betty said softly, turning her body completely toward him.

"I think he may have been able to forgive me if my biggest betrayal was bringing Archie back into the business." Jughead continued. "But then I stopped fighting. He just couldn't understand how I sat on the sidelines every night, watching others fight my battles."

Betty didn't say anything, but she brought her hand up to his cheek, softly smoothing the worry lines from his face. He looked down at their joined hands and took a deep breath.

"We fought about it for weeks. Finally, we came to an agreement. I would bankroll his lifestyle – the drinking, the drugs, the gang… everything. And he would stay out of my life. Including the fights."

"You're paying your father to stay away from you?" Betty gasped. Jughead nodded.

"It's worked for almost two years. That's the first time I've seen him since I was a freshman."

The room was silent. Betty was stunned. She knew there was family drama – hell, this was probably only scratching the surface. But she had never expected something like this.

"I'm so sorry, Juggie."

He sniffed, an impassive look on his face. "Don't be. I decided a long time ago that I'm more than someone's meal ticket. I would rather be doing things my way with no contact than allow him to take advantage of me again."

Betty didn't know what to say. She had a strained relationship with her parents, sure, but this was another level of dysfunctional. She couldn't believe a father could see his son so narrow-mindedly – a mean to an ends and nothing more.

"What can I do?" She asked, feeling the desperate need to help.

"Just… don't leave." Jughead said, looking uncharacteristically vulnerable.

"Okay." Betty replied, tucking her head in his shoulder. She took a deep breath and settled in. She wouldn't be going anywhere tonight.

 **A/N: getting into the thick of it. Would LOVE your feedback! thank you so much for all the love so far. I couldn't do it without you guys 3**


	7. Chapter VI

**A/N: Sooooo it's been a minute. I'm gonna skip the apologies and let the chapter do that for me.**

Light streamed in through Jughead's dark curtains the next morning, waking Betty from an otherwise peaceful nights sleep. She groggily lifted her head, blinking in the sudden sunlight. Turning over to look at Jughead, she saw that he was still peacefully asleep.

Resting her head in the crook of her arm, Betty settled into the mattress, staring at her bedmate unabashedly. While asleep, she could see how young Jughead really was. He was peaceful and quiet in these moments, nothing like the on-edge, cautious version of himself he presented to the world.

Betty inched her hand forward, skimming her knuckle down his cheek. He hummed his approval, sleepily burrowing further into the mattress and moving instinctually toward her. Betty let out a shuddering breath she hadn't realized she was holding, a sinking feeling low in her stomach.

Sitting up abruptly, Betty ran her fingers through her hair. Quietly easing herself off of the bed, she tiptoed out the door, careful not to look back at Jughead.

Slinking down the stairs, Betty's heart was racing. What was she doing? She had just slept over at a boy's house. A boy that wasn't her boyfriend. A boy that she had known for less than a month.

Betty had always been a slow and steady kind of girl – always a marathon, never a sprint. She didn't rush into things headfirst, and she certainly didn't do something without weighing all the possible pros and cons.

But this new relationship with Jughead? This was uncharted territory.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Betty paused to consider her options. She could leave now and make excuses later. It was a quick walk back to her dorm, and she could easily justify her hasty exit with an overdue essay or an article with an impending deadline.

But that option left a sinking feeling in her chest. Jughead had asked her not to leave. She wanted to respect his boundaries and his feelings – it was clearly hard for him to open up to people the way he had to her last night.

Her other option was to stay. Stay and ignore the flashing warning signs in her head that this was too fast, that being with another person wasn't supposed to be this easy. She could ignore everything she thought she knew about relationships, set her shoulders, go back upstairs, and climb back into bed with the cute boy who genuinely liked her.

But why did that scenario leave her with shaky hands and an overwhelming sense of being in over her head?

"Betty?" a confused voice called from the kitchen.

Quickly composing herself as best as she could, she turned. Veronica was standing in the kitchen doorway holding a cup of coffee, looking at her expectantly. Her expression changed to concern when she saw Betty's look of sheer panic.

Setting down her mug calmly on the table, Veronica gathered her coat and purse. Betty could see her kiss Archie goodbye, squeezing his shoulder and whispering something in his ear. The sight made Betty's heart ache.

"Let's go home." Veronica said, gently circling her fingers around Betty's wrist. Betty followed numbly out the door to the cool spring morning, climbing into her roommate's car in a matter of seconds.

"Did he hurt you?" Veronica asked immediately, gripping the wheel and glaring daggers at the shabby front door they had just exited. "I swear to god Betty, I'll rip his –"

"No," Betty sighed, already feeling guilty. "Nothing happened, V."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Betty said firmly. She didn't want there to be any misunderstanding. "He's perfect. I'm just… not."

"Betty…" Veronica looked away from the road, but Betty refused to meet her eyes.

Yes, Jughead was secretive and flawed, coming with a whole slew of family drama and mystery. But Betty couldn't help but feel that her backstory and experiences would make Jughead the open and communicative one in their relationship.

She wasn't good enough for him. It was as simple as that.

"I know it's hard to see right now," Veronica said lowly, pulling into the dorm parking lot. "But you're incredible, Bets. Strong, independent… I understand why you feel this way, but it makes me so sad that feeling inadequate is your first thought." She paused, pulling into a parking spot. "Of course you don't need a boy to be complete. But if you wanted to try again, Jughead is a really good one."

Betty sniffed, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. She felt a sudden wave of gratitude for Veronica, and practically lunged at her unsuspecting friend for a bone-crushing hug. Nuzzling her face into the brunette's shoulder, Betty let out a shaky breath.

"Love you, B." Veronica said, squeezing her friend protectively. "If he ever hurts you, I'll kill him."

Betty laughed, pulling away from her best friend and wiping her eyes. "The thing is, I believe you."

Veronica just smiled calmly, flipping her sunglasses down on the bridge of her nose and getting gracefully out of the car.

* * *

Groaning, Betty slammed her laptop shut and flopped back onto her pillows. She had been re-working the same story about a recent scandal involving the business school's dean for the past two hours, and nothing about it seemed to be flowing. She had hit a plateau, and it was frustrating beyond belief.

Particularly because she was really only writing to keep her thoughts off of a certain broody, dark-haired boy that had been on the forefront of her mind all day.

"You've been working on that story for two hours now." Veronica said calmly, looking up at her disgruntled roommate amusedly. "Come eat a banana with me and take a second to recharge."

"Why bananas?" Betty asked half-heartedly, pulling herself off of her bed only to drop immediately onto Veronica's.

"I don't know," she said, shrugging. "It's always what my mom made me do. I think it was just an excuse to get me to eat more fruit. But hey, it works for me."

Betty laughed, unpeeling her banana thoughtfully. "The timeline just doesn't make sense. If there was going to be embezzlement, wouldn't it have occurred before –"

"Betty," Veronica interrupted, fixing her roommate with a look. "You can't just ignore what happened last night. You're using this as a distraction."

"It's not a distraction if it's my job."

Veronica just raised an eyebrow. Betty sighed. She knew that Veronica loved her and only wanted what was best, but sometimes she really wished her best friend didn't know her so well.

"You know, life would be so much easier if you just let me bury my feelings and continue to be emotionally unavailable." Betty said accusingly, tossing her peel half-heartedly in the direction of the trashcan. She missed by a mile.

"Yeah, but what fun would that be for me?" Veronica smiled, but quickly turned pensive. "I'm just worried about you, B. I don't want you to miss out on something great because you're scared of getting hurt."

"It's not just that," Betty sighed. She felt weighed down. "I'm not scared of getting hurt. I can handle that."

"Well then what are you so afraid of?"

"I don't know!" The blonde exclaimed, suddenly frustrated. "I wish I knew! All I know is that every time I let someone get close to me, I end up alone again at the end."

"Alone and hurt." Veronica said, her eyebrows furrowed. Betty nodded. "I know this is going to sound corny, but you're not alone. You have me, Polly, school… you're not the same girl you were in High School."

Betty scoffed. "Sometimes it feels like I am."

Veronica smiled sympathetically. "You're not, B. You're so strong. You're doing this all on your own, and you're kicking ass. You've come such a long way."

The two girls lapsed into silence, Betty lost in thought and Veronica not wanting to press her friend any further.

"I guess," Betty said slowly, staring off into space. "I'm mostly afraid that I'm not strong enough to pick myself back up again… if something did happen." She paused, not daring to look at Veronica. "I already had to do it once. I don't know if I could do it again."

Veronica opened her mouth to speak, but Betty cut her off.

"And don't say it's not a possibility I'll get hurt, because it _is._ It always is. Everyone thought that it was impossible last time, but we saw how that ended, right?" Betty paused, taking a deep breath. It felt cleansing to vent like this. "And I'm just… so tired of being terrified all the time. I don't want to be scared, but I am. I don't know how not to be. Jughead deserves someone who can be normal, and well adjusted, and that will just _never_ be me."

Betty's rant was met with a silent room and a taken aback Veronica. But just as she opened her mouth to respond to her roommate, there was a hesitant knock on the door.

Confused, Betty glanced at Veronica, who appeared just as startled as she did. Thankfully, Veronica got up and answered the door, giving Betty the opportunity to take a few deep breaths. Usually this amount of personal reflection would result in a panic attack. But today she felt lighter because of it.

Veronica flung the door open, already prepared to tell the unwelcome intruder to go away. However, once she saw the distinctive beanie on the other side, her mouth snapped shut.

"Oh, hey Jughead." She said, glancing back at Betty. Betty looked up, aghast. Jughead just looked confused. "I think I need to go… buy more bananas." Veronica said, scrambling for an exit plan. Betty looked on in horror as Jughead stepped into the room and Veronica left, casting one last excited look over her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Jughead asked after a pregnant pause, leaning against her bed and crossing his arms.

"Why is everyone asking me that today?" Betty huffed, rolling her eyes.

"Probably because when I woke up this morning you were gone, and Archie happened to mention an extremely hasty exit by his girlfriend. I can put two and two together."

Betty shrank onto Veronica's mattress, wincing. She really did sound like a fratboy douche, sneaking out before morning came.

"Hey," Jughead said, more gently. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like an asshole. I was worried. I wasn't sure if you were okay, and you left your phone at my house."

Betty nodded, still feeling a little raw. She felt Jughead move closer, and after some hesitancy, a hand cup her cheek.

"But… are you?" He asked, his brow furrowed. "Okay?"

"I think?" Betty said, looking up at him. "I feel fine now. It's just been a lot for me to take in."

Jughead's expression turned to one of understanding. "I know. The fights can be really intense at first. Don't feel like you have to come to the one tomorrow, I'll understand if you want to skip it."

Betty grimaced, trying to hide her expression. She didn't know how to tell him that her trepidation wasn't about the fights at all. She had come to terms with that side of his life. Really, she was anxious about him.

"Betty? What is it?"

She groaned, falling back on to Veronica's bed and pressing her palms to her eyes. Jughead chuckled, but in a forced way that made her feel even worse.

"Scooch over." Without opening her eyes, Betty moved closer to the wall, making enough room for both of them on the bed. Hesitantly, Jughead laid down, careful not to touch her, but close enough that she could feel his body heat.

Betty sighed, moving closer to Jughead after a moment's hesitation. Burrowing her nose in his neck and wrapping her arms around him, she could feel him relax. They stayed like that for a few moments while Betty tried to sort through how she wanted to express her feelings.

"I'm not very good at relationships." She said slowly. Jughead stopped the rhythmic rubbing of her back that she hadn't noticed he started. "I haven't been in one since high school, and it didn't… It didn't end well."

"We can go slow," Jughead said after a pause. "I don't need anything right now. What we have at the moment is good."

"Yeah it is, but I think you deserve better. In case you haven't noticed, I'm pretty fucked up."

"Please," Jughead scoffed, trying to lighten the mood. "More fucked up than an absentee mother and a father I have to pay to stay away from me?"

Betty sighed, looking up at Jughead for the first time. "Yeah."

"Oh." Jughead said. He looked taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained his composure. "Betty, _you're_ what I want. There's no one better, but even if there were, I wouldn't want them because you're who I want to spend my time with. I haven't opened up to anyone the way I opened up to you in a long time. That was special for me."

"I know, but it's just…" Betty sighed, frustrated. Why was everything so black and white for him? "What if in the end, I'm not what you want?"

"But you are." Jughead said definitively. The pair sank into a deep silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"I think we're good for each other." Jughead said. "And I want to keep trying. We don't have to label it if you're not comfortable. But… I think we could be really good for each other."

Betty paused, considering the options. He had managed to come up with a retort for every one of her concerns. At this point, she knew what she was jumping into.

"Okay." Betty finally replied.

Jughead smiled, pulling her closer and resting his chin on the top of her head. Betty was just about ready to fall asleep when she remembered something.

"Just so you know," She said, her voice muffled. "This is Veronica's bed."

Jughead groaned.

* * *

The next night at the Thornhill Estate, Betty couldn't believe that she had ever thought the Rages could be captured in an 1800 word piece for the school newspaper.

There were people everywhere she looked – in the empty in ground pool, on the mansion's deck, littering the woods. It seemed that everyone in town had shown up for this fight. She sipped on her warm beer, taking in the sights safely sandwiched between Josie and Veronica.

"Why are there so many more people here than at the last one?" Betty asked, to no one in particular.

Josie shrugged absentmindedly, scanning the tree line. "Sometimes Jughead and Archie think that a fight is high profile, so they send out more invitations. More people, more bets. More money the house can collect at the end of the night."

Betty nodded. Looking around nervously, she couldn't help but feel a different vibe in the air. While the last fight had definitely been tense and anxiety inducing, this was a whole different level. It seemed like everyone was on edge this time.

"So why is there –"

Betty's question was cut off by Kevin, who appeared ashen faced and worried at Veronica's elbow.

"He's going through with it," he moaned, gripping Veronica's hand. She pat his shoulder sympathetically. "He's an idiot! He'll get eaten alive."

"What?" Betty asked. "Who?"

"His boyfriend, Joaquin." Veronica replied, drawing Kevin into their close-knit circle. "He's up against one of the most aggressive Centerville fighters tonight."

"I tried to warn him," Kevin said, shaking his head. Now he just looked angry. "But all that matters to him is his reputation. No regard to his own personal wellbeing."

All three girls murmured their sympathies, Veronica eventually leading Kevin away to get a drink to calm down. Betty and Josie stood at the edge of the pool alone, watching the rest of the crowd mill around.

"It's not really dangerous though, right?" Betty asked abruptly, looking at Josie. "I mean… no one's ever gotten seriously injured?"

Josie laughed, breaking out of her reverie to give Betty an incredulous look. "What about Jughead makes you think this isn't dangerous?"

Betty smiled wryly, sighing. "You're right," she said. "I guess it was just wishful thinking."

"I'm sorry for being short," Josie sighed, shaking her head and sitting at the edge of the pool. Betty followed suit. "This fight is just really important for us. The Rages haven't been doing as well lately, and we're all stretched a little thin."

Betty nodded her understanding, frowning. If this was a slow night, then what did a profitable one look like?

"Hello ladies," a voice behind them said. Archie dropped down next to Betty, handing each of them another drink. "Any idea where my girlfriend went?"

"She's calming down Kevin." Josie said shortly, glaring at Archie. He got her implication immediately.

"C'mon, Josie." Archie said, rolling his eyes. "Joaquin is an adult. He can make his own decisions."

"Yeah, you try saying no to five G's and tell me how much of that decision felt like your own." Josie muttered, taking a sip of her beer.

Betty shook her head, not in a place to judge.

"Who are the fighters tonight?" She asked Archie, trying to lessen the tension.

"Well, we have Joaquin, obviously," he said, ignoring Josie's eye roll. "He's over there on the porch."

Archie pointed out a slight, but muscular man of average height standing alone on the porch. He looked anxious and on edge. Betty looked at him shrewdly. He could be a decent fighter.

"And then there's Reggie, from Centerville." Archie pointed into the pool, where a tall, jock-type boy was relaxing on the steps, drinking a beer. Betty could see why her friends were concerned.

"Wow." Betty said. She paused and looked at both objectively, flitting between the two men. For some reason, she had a feeling about Joaquin. "I still think Joaquin is going to pull it out."

Josie and Archie both laughed, looking at her in shock.

"Don't get me wrong," she said defensively. "It'll be a tough fight. But look at them. Joaquin looks like he'd do anything to win. Reggie just looks like this is another night on the football field."

"We want him to win too, Bets." Archie said. "It's just a little more complicated than that."

"I just don't think it is. Whoever wants it more will do whatever it takes to get it, and that's that."

Neither Josie nor Archie looked very convinced. Rolling her eyes, Betty dug through her purse.

"Fine, what are the odds on Joaquin?" She asked Archie.

"About three to one."

"Great, I want twenty on him to win."

"Okay, fine Betty." Archie replied. "But Jughead would kill me if he knew I was taking bets from you."

Betty rolled her eyes. "Just take the damn money, Archie."

He laughed and took the outstretched twenty, but before either one could respond, Jughead's voice came booming over everything.

"Welcome to the Riverdale Rages," he shouted, previously unnoticed at the bottom of the pool. Joaquin and Reggie were by his side as the pool emptied of spectators. "As always, just two rules – Don't disrupt the fighters, and place your bets before the fights begin."

"Now, for our fighters." The crowd cheered, louder than anything Betty had previously heard. "From Riverdale College, at 160 pounds, Joaquin DeSantos!"

Joaquin raised his arm, his jaw set and avoiding looking at Kevin, who was standing with Veronica to his left at the very edge of the pool. His expression made Betty's heart ache.

"And from Centerville University at 180 pounds, we have Reggie Mantle!"

Reggie raised both arms, playing to the crowd and cheering along with them. Betty couldn't help but feel a pang of dislike.

Jughead took both Reggie and Joaquin in a huddle, explaining something in a low voice that the spectators couldn't hear. Looking up and scanning the crowd, Jughead locked eyes with Betty. He smiled in a way that was distinctly out of place for what was about to occur, a novelty not lost on the rest of the audience. The murmurs grew louder as Jughead jogged over to the steps of the pool, out of the way from the two boys.

Jughead looked at his watch, extremely focused with his whistle between his lips. It felt as thought the entire audience was holding their breath.

Finally, the whistle rang out.

Both boys immediately jumped at each other, to the immense delight of everyone watching. The jeers got louder as each boy got more aggressive – Betty could tell it was going to be a quick fight.

After a few minutes of dancing around each other, Reggie punched Joaquin on the nose while using his feet to trip him. All at once, Joaquin was on the ground.

Reggie used this time to gloat, turning his back on his opponent and playing to the audience. However, Joaquin stuck his foot out and managed to trip Reggie in the same manner he had just been taken down.

"Uh oh," Archie said, leaning closer. "I don't like the look of this."

Joaquin had managed to get on top of Reggie, where he laid spread eagle on the pool floor. Cocking his fist in what Betty could tell was going to be an excruciating blow, Joaquin knocked out Reggie and scrambled up, nose bleeding, but victorious.

It took a couple seconds for the crowd to catch up with what had occurred. Once it became clear that Reggie was not getting up, the spectators exploded in applause. Jughead calmly walked to the middle of the makeshift ring and held up Joaquin's arm.

Betty's view was obstructed as a mass of people descended the steps of the pool, some checking on Reggie, and others just looking to be where the action was. She was scanning the crowd looking for Jughead when she felt a tap on her arm.

Tearing her eyes away from the pool she looked at Archie, who was holding a wad of money and wearing an abashed expression. Silently handing her sixty dollars, Betty felt more pride for Joaquin than she had ever felt for another person.

"What about your 5%?" She asked, still smiling.

Archie rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "We'll call it an 'I'm sorry for being skeptical of your gut feeling' bonus."

Betty smiled even wider.

"And also," Archie offered as an afterthought, looking around furtively. "We'll call it a one-time thing between you and I. No need for Jughead to know. Deal?"

"Deal." Betty said, furrowing her eyebrows. "But why shouldn't he know?"

Archie fixed her with a serious look. "You've seen his dad. Jughead is sensitive about the fights. I don't think he'd respond very well to his girlfriend betting."

"Oh, we're not – " But Betty was cut off by a heavy arm around her waist, and suddenly Jughead was right beside her.

"Great fight, Jug." Archie said, looking pleased. "Even better than last semester's finale."

"Oh, is this the last one?" Betty said hopefully, looking up at Jughead. He shrugged.

"Unless there's someone we're dying to book. Reggie mentioned an old friend from New York who's making a trip down here in a few weeks, but I don't know anything about him, so I'm a little hesitant."

Archie nodded. "Last I heard, we stood to make 25 tonight."

Jughead let out a long whistle. "That's more than the last two combined."

"Right?" Archie looked elated. Spotting Veronica over their shoulders, he said a hasty goodbye to the couple and ran to join his girlfriend.

"What do you say? Wanna get out of here?" Jughead looked down at Betty, smiling fondly. "I could use a burger and a milkshake right about now."

Betty hummed, smiling up at Jughead. For the first time in weeks, she felt happy to be where she was.

 **A/N: Hiii everyone! Sorry. It's been too long. Special shoutout to jandjsalmon - without her, I genuinely don't know if you guys would have gotten an update until the end of summer (I have a really crazy job, don't hate me). But you guys are so amazing for sticking around. Also, love to see our little ship growing!**

 **Just a few things - I tried to be as non-descript as possible with the violence, but in a fight club au... there's going to be some violence. sns.**

 **Don't hate Betty too much for being cautious and a little hesitant. it'll make sense soon. Or now, bc I'm sure some of you have figured it out. I never was very good at slow burns, lol.**

 **Would anyone be interested in seeing the story from Jughead's perspective? I'm not promising anything, but it's an idea I've been toying around with. It would be a separate story, but the same events. Let me know!**

 **Okay. This has gone on long enough. Love you guys! thanks so much for being incredible.**


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